Tokka Beginnings
by Snow22
Summary: How did the Blind Bandit and the Warrior of the South end up together in each other's arms? A oneshot look on the history of this seemigly chaotic couple.


Tokka Beginnings:

It never could rain in the South Pole…no. The only thing that could show the loneliness was the snow. It was as cold and unforgiving as the soul of the hardened warrior.

Sokka looked with sad, lonely eyes frozen as the snow he stood in towards the glowing orb in the night sky. The beautiful moon. It was the thing that constantly reminded him of the loss he'd experienced. He held his bloodied staff in one hand, trying to wipe it from the previous hunt. He stood faithfully there, frozen even to the blistering chill of the southern winds. His wolf-like headdress fit perfectly for this occasion, for he was as the wolf was…howling to the Mistress Moon.

Just two months earlier, a crash on one of the fishing boats they used had taken away his current lover, Suki. Her ribs had been punctured by the steel that had concaved in a freak accident and despite what his sister Katara had tried to do, she was gone before they had time to rush her back to land. She had been smiling the whole time, one last kiss placed upon his dark cheek and then her whole body fell limp. The feel of her cold body, the warmth slowly fading in her eternal slumber…

He remembered the funeral, they set her body to sea on Kyoshi, ritualistically burning her body upon it leaving the harbor. Hadoka was the only one to see his son's tears, trying to comfort him. He stayed by the shore, cursing himself for letting this happen. The Serpent's Pass, that was a lie. All the times he tried to make her happy, all a lie.

It was all too familiar, making him nearly sick upon thinking about it. And the moon…his beloved Yue. She was as wonderful and radiant in her spirit form as she was in life. She had been the driving force to protect those he cared so dearly for. But every time he started to think about Suki or Yue it always ended up being shifted over to the shortest member of their former group. Toph. The Greatest Earthbender in the world. After collecting themselves from the earth kingdom, Toph had announced that due to her father's worry she was going to stay home. She didn't want to come to the South Pole because she wouldn't be able to see as well. And besides that…there was this tone in her voice that she knew about Suki.

She stood in the balcony in her bedroom, elbows hoisted upon the detailed railing all lined with the flying boar of her family name. So many years had passed, with seeing only a few friends. Aang and Katara came about every week, talking while drinking tea and having fruit tarts from the Avatar himself. But they'd always leave the day after, pursuing their own journey to the temples. She wondered why she picked this boring life over another grand adventure around the globe. But, it would never happen. Of all the people in the group, she was the only one to be truly alone. Aang had Katara, they had just recently gone to Zuko's wedding with Mai. And her beloved, Sokka. Well she knew that story up and down. So many times she had felt them embrace, seen the vibrations of their kissing. And each night afterward she would silently cry to herself and the earth below. Sometimes she felt as if only her own element would listen to her.

But not tonight, all she could do was stare at a blank, never ending sky where it was rumored by those who could see to have sparkling dots lining what she saw to be black. The greatest earthbender in the world could not harden her inner self. Organs weren't meant to be rocks, so she still felt pain in her heart. She twisted the metal banister in her grip hard while thinking about those two together, teeth gnashing as she fought back her tears. "Why Snoozles?" She shouted to the open air, the echoes bouncing throughout the courtyard only to be swallowed by the caverns beyond. She slammed her fist against the doorway, the whole building nearly shaking as she left huge craters in the wall. Her frustration transmuted into one final scream and finally her legs buckled. She cradled herself on the floor, tears spewing like rivers from her eyes. She let her black bun fall free, the hair streams inching slowly spreading across the floor. "Stop it…" The earthbender tried her best not to let the emotion take over, her body shaking with fear. "I can't do this anymore."

Sokka looked behind him seeing the happy people of his small village, all with smiles on their faces. The hunt would feed them through the harsh blizzards about to hit. His father signaled for him to come near but all he could do was stand there, near that cliff that dropped to the ocean and stare. The legs refuse to move, even though he commands them to.

Perhaps it is as fate…he has let the past beat him to this lifeless pulp he has become.

But then his head soars to the skies, eyes opening upon the radiant lights emerging into the blackness. Ribbons of orange, pink, blue and golden yellow all mingle with the stars, encircling the everlasting moonlight. And he falls to his knees, forgetting what beauty there lied before. He had forgotten who he had become, what he had strived for throughout the war and here at his home land.

He had forgotten about forgiveness. And the displays of light told him a story, a story beyond description. A story that focused on what he was going to do about these unwanted emotions. That's when it hit him.

He threw down his staff into the ocean with a wide smirk, turned to his father and shouted, "I can't do this anymore!"

Hadoka and the rest of the village stared at the young warrior boy, the one who had sided with the Avatar. "What are you talking about son?"

"I'm going back dad!" He began to run for the boats, trying not to slip with a giant smirk on his face. The snow hit him hard as he ran the opposite way of its gales. The boats were close so from the docks Sokka leapt gracefully. He landed sitting upright, making sure he had rations and some currency for the Earth Nation. As they people from his nation gathered, he began to paddle as fast as he could towards the north. And he watched them fade away, waving while shouting, "I'm going to set things straight because I love her!"

Finale:

Sokka walked through the beginnings of the earth kingdom for two day straight only pausing for food, water and restroom breaks. He kept looking towards the stars, legs nearly giving out. But he forced them to keep continuing foreword, always looking into the distant horizon. And finally the royal city walls began to show, becoming closer with each step. He rejoiced with sighs of relief, nearly jumping from excitement. When his blood began pumping quicker, he started to dash towards the building he'd memorized so well watching the glare of the flying boar disk ease in the morning sunlight. He felt accomplished in so many ways but knew that his journey was not over just yet.

He snuck past the guards, light on his toes. The air was crisp and fresh, the soft cut grass cushioning his footing in a green velvet lining.

Toph was resting in her bedroom, the highest floor of her parent's house to keep her from escaping any longer. Despite this, she continuously used her high earth bending skill to bend the metal of her balcony creating stairs to roam the gardens. She felt like a prisoner having to wear such formal clothing. The only things that were set free on her body were her two bare feet, fully taking in the feeling of the earth below. Toph sighed, looking for any way to escape. And then she felt the vibrations of a familiar weight. No it couldn't be him. Maybe Aang playing a trick on her perhaps, but not Sokka. He was far too busy making out with the Kyoshi woman.

She crossed her arms, sitting atop a bush readying herself for the arrival of this mysterious figure.

Sokka felt so blissful upon seeing her in the open air, her hair parting ways from the classic black bun she wore it in. He almost wanted to knock her down but instead approached sweetly and raised a hand, "Toph it's me, Sokka!"

She nearly bit her tongue feeling curse arouse in her throat, gripping his wrist. Her eyes began to water and with all her might she prevented them from falling, "What the hell are you doing here Snoozles?"

"I realized something." He said under the pain of her grip, trying to free himself. Toph let go, crossing her arms while huffing under her dress. He patted himself down and gave a huge grin while propping her chin to look towards his direction, "I realized that I made a big mistake. All that time I had with Suki…"

"Was great wasn't it?" She refused to let him live the fact down, making his speech seem impossible. He spoke through the unbearable grief with a low tone, "No it wasn't."

He grabbed her shoulders, looking into her pale green eyes with such desire and hope. He gave a sigh, attempting to focus himself for the better, "Listen, all that time with Suki…I was lying to myself. When I first saw you battling in the arena I knew I liked you. And maybe that's why I was rooting against you."

"You've got a strange way of showing affection then."

"I could say the same for you, miss punchy."

Toph felt her whole face go red. She scanned every nerve on him, trying to find out how he knew her big secret.

He explained, "I knew that whole rough outlook was just a guise for your true feelings. I knew how much you liked me. And really, I must be the blind one here not to see that earlier."

The two held each other close, both in heavy outfits that made them sweat and stick even in the spring-like weather. They sat in the shade of a large oak tree, contemplating the talk for hours on end. Nothing but the sound of breathing and birds singing could disrupt the silence. The grass trickled and swayed under the command of the calming winds, the skies blue like sapphires. A sense of serenity was filling the air, the scent of lavender from nearby bushes following. He looked at her, lying on his lap always smiling childishly. But he enjoyed that about her, she was so different from anyone else. He stroked fingers through the waterfalls of her charcoal hair, kissing atop her forehead lightly. She interlocked fingers with him tightly, afraid to let go.

He continued thinking, always the idea guy. And then the thought struck him, one so out of the question it nearly surprised him to say it. "Let's get out of here."

"Where are we going to go?"

"Anywhere!" He raised his arms into the skies above and lifted her in his arms. "As long as I have you with me, we can go anywhere."

"Sounds gushy." She flopped over on her stomach in his palms and smirked, "Let's go that way."

And so as the sun was beginning to set, they cast shadows on the pale courtyard leaving towards what they believed to be east awaiting the adventure beyond. And to power them through they only needed each other and love.


End file.
